6,100-Year-Old Pots Reveal Earliest Evidence of Cooking With Spices

The discovery of an ancient crock pot dating back 6,100 years reveals the earliest evidence of food spicing, according to NBC News. Researchers from the University of York say the burnt food remains on the pot show traces of garlic mustard seeds along with meat and fish fats.

Image Credit: Hayley Saul / BioArCh at the University of York

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The seeds came from eight pots collected from three Neolithic dwellings in Germany and Denmark. While spices like cumin, coriander and basil have been found in older sites, none have been conclusively linked to culinary purposes.

Dr. Hayley Saul recreated the ancient dish by adding garlic mustard to cod and pork, according to Science Now, which are meats that inhabitants of northern Europe would have also eaten.

Image Credit: Philippe Desnerck

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How were scientists able to tell that the "fossilized" remains were garlic mustard seeds? Using a technique called plant microfossil analysis, scientists looked at phytoliths under the microscope for patterns of silica. Each species lays down a distinct, signature pattern.

Image Credit: Greg Adams Photography

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Before this discovery, the oldest evidence of food spicing was found in 4,500-year old cooking pots with remains of turmeric and ginger. The pots were linked to the Harappa culture in Northern India, according to a Smithsonian magazine blog post.

Image Credit: Partha Pal

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Dr. Hayley Saul tells BBC News that this is the first evidence of food spicing in Europe. Around the world, older sites with spices have been discovered but not linked to cooking — including a cave in Israel with coriander dating back 23,000 years.

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Science Now reports that there is evidence of other flavorful foods like onions having been used in cooking during the same time period. However, garlic mustard seed is the first ingredient to lack nutritional value.

Image Credit: Tom Merton

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Mesolithic cuisine (which precedes Neolithic) may be more sophisticated than we think. The Independent reports that cooks prepared meals for large family groups of up to fifteen people at a time.

Image Credit: Dorling Kindersley

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Caraway seeds, blue fenugreek and horseradish are commonly believed to have been used by Mesolithic cooks, reports The Independent. However, use of these spices have not yet been proven.

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Dr. Hayley Saul told NBC News that the turn of the 5th millenium B.C. saw a lot of culinary creativity. Garlic mustard fell out of favor in later years, but experimentation with new spices may have continued.

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Want more ancient food finds? Read on for some recent discoveries about prehistoric palates.

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According to Deutsche Weine, the oldest bottle of wine still in a liquid form was discovered in Germany in 1867. The wine was buried in a sarcophagus likely in 325 A.D. and was amazingly preserved simply with a layer of olive oil to keep out the oxygen.

Image Credit: Deutscheweine.de

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Thought pasta originated in Italy? You may want to think again! A 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles was discovered in China back in 2005. The bowl was uncovered at an archeological site, buried under 10 feet of sediment.

Image Credit: Nature/KBK Teo/E Minoux et al

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A recently discovered 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Italy is said to still contain clay vessels filled with food.

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It is believed that chocolate has been around since ancient times, but box of chocolates over 100 years old old was recently found in Scotland. They were made to honor the Coronation of King Edward VII.

Image Credit: Getty Images

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Thanks to the beautiful paintings the Egyptians left behind, we know that the ancient people enjoyed figs.

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The oldest known winery was recently found in Armenia. Archaeologists estimate the winery to be about 6,100 years ago.

Image Credit: Getty Images

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Native American Indians enjoyed corn in their meals, but they also managed to use the corn other innovative ways. They have left behind woven corn husk baskets.

NBC News reports that the earliest conclusive evidence of humans cooking with spice has been discovered from 6,100-year old clay cooking pots found in Neolithic sites in Denmark and Germany. Burnt food remains on the pots revealed traces of garlic mustard seeds along with meat and fish fats.

While spices have been found in older sites, it is unclear whether they were used in food or for medicinal or decorative purposes. This new discovery shows well-preserved food scraps without any whole seeds, suggesting that the seeds were crushed to release flavor.

According to a Smithsonian magazine blog post, experts previously thought that cooking with plants during this time period was largely motivated by a need for calories, but garlic mustard seeds have little nutritional value.

The findings suggest culinary spices were in use more than 1,000 years earlier than previously thought, predating the discovery of tumeric and ginger in 4,500-year old cooking pots from northern India.

Lead researcher Dr. Hayley Saul tested the primitive recipe and likened it to today’s popular mustard seeds. “It went down very well,” she tells NBC News.

When stored in a sealed container and away from humidity, honey can be stored indefinitely. Honey keeps well because of its low water content. Archeologists have even discovered a jar of well-preserved, liquid honey in ancient Egyptian tombs over 3,300 years old. Over time, the consistency and color of honey can change. An easy fix for crystallized honey is to gently reheat it.

Unopened bottles of distilled spirits can last indefinitely with proper storage. Once opened and exposed to some air over time, pure base spirits like vodka, rum and whiskey will not go bad but may change in flavor. Liqueurs contain sugar and other ingredients that can spoil, so watch for signs of crystallization, discoloration or curdling. Cream liqueurs have dairy, cream or egg and only last about 18 months.

Raw white rice keeps indefinitely with proper storage. Even polished white rice stored in oxygen-free and cold temperature conditions can stay fresh for up to 30 years! Brown rice, on the other hand, has a short shelf life of six to twelve months; its higher oil content causes it to go rancid more quickly. It’s best to keep rice in a sealed, airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

The official shelf life for Twinkies is 25 days, but they are rumored to last much longer. According to a Washington Post article, science teacher Roger Bennatti from Blue Hill, Maine, has kept one in his classroom for 30 years! He described it as “brittle” but “probably still edible”. We wouldn't recommend eating a Twinkie years past its prime, but we marvel at the fact that this cake can stay fresh for nearly a month due to its lack of dairy-based ingredients.

These little cakes are made from the crushed powder of dried lean meat (usually buffalo, elk or deer) and hot rendered fat. Sometimes berries are added for flavor. Native Americans invented this protein-packed snack, and explorers relied on pemmican because it was easy to make and did not require heating or refrigeration. When traditionally prepared with all the moisture removed, pemmicans are shelf stable indefinitely.

Bacteria does not grow on sugar due to its low moisture content, so properly stored sugar can last forever. If sugar gets damp, it will become hard or lumpy; on the other hand, the evaporation of molasses from brown sugar leaves behind clumps. You can easily fix lumpy sugar by breaking it down with a food processor or heating it in the microwave on low power for one to two minutes per cup.

A B.Y.U. study reveals that more than 80% of a consumer taste panel deemed retail-packaged pinto beans up to 30 years old as acceptable for emergency use (samples were stored for years in #10 cans with the oxygen removed). Dried beans can last almost indefinitely in the absence of oxygen and light, but gradual moisture loss will affect its taste and texture. Old beans may need longer soaking and cooking times; try adding acidic ingredients or salt toward the end of the recipe to avoid toughening up the skin.

Opened bottles of pure maple syrup are best stored in the freezer where they will last forever. In the fridge, opened syrup will retain its quality for about one year. Syrup does not freeze in the freezer and returns back to its original consistency after sitting out at room temperature for an hour. Mold growth on the surface of the syrup is not unusual and can be removed by gently boiling the syrup, skimming the skin and pouring the syrup into a clean container.